Molded plastic pontoons



E. CARR Y I MOLDED. PLASTIC omotms I Ma 21,1963

2 sheets-s e t 1' Filed Apx il e, 1962 A-r ToQNEYs 'r; E. CARR I MOLDEDPLASTIC PONTOONS l2 ZOINVENITOR; .THOMAE E. CAZIZ ATTORNEYS I and morereliable in comparable utility.

' 3,090,339 MOLDED PLASTICPONTOONS Thomas E. Carr, 9.0; Box 402,Sterling City, Tex.

" 1 Filed Apr. 6, 196,2, Ser. No. 185,579 t 1 Claim. (Cl. 114 66.5)

' This invention relates to improved 'rnolded plastic pone.

toons for use in constructing water craft, rafts, floats, and otherstructures usetul'forwater sports, and for other uses, such as militarypontoon bridges and aircraft.

United statfispatcmo The primary object of the invention is theprovision of molded plastic pontoons of the kind indicated, which arelighter in weight,-cheaper, more durable, and hence safer service thanexisting pontoons of Another object of the invention is the provisionofimproved pontoons of the character indicated above, which comprisebodies of molded plastic, which constitutethe buoyant components of thepontoons, and hollow plastic covers for the bodies, which constitute therigidifying and stress resisting components of the pontoons,

Afurther object of the invention is'the provision of pontoons of thecharacter indicated above, wherein mount-.

ing eyes, of the same material, as the covers, are secured to thecovers, for receiving and securing to the pontoons, cross members, ofsuitable material, in the construction shock damage, and water-proof;should the covers 14 be ruptured,

incapable of substantialabsorption of water-,so that even in a damagedcondition, the pontoons retain their reliable I flotationcharacteristics.

Inverted channel mounting eyes plastic or other materials, and have baseflanges extending from both sides thereof, adapted to rest upon theupper surfaces of the bodies 12,, and be covered by the material of thecovers 14, as shown in FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 7,

. so that the eyes are securely fixed to the covers and anof buoyantstructures involving two or more pontoons.

Other important objects and advantageous features of ,the invention willbe apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings, wherein, for puris set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

chored to the bodies. The eyes 16 extend crosswise of the bodies, atspaced intervals therealong, and provide transversely elongatedrectangular bores 24, for the reception of rectangular cross sectioncross members 26,

which are adapted to be secured in the eyes, asby means of bolts 28,extended through the sidewalls of the eyes, for constructing such as atwo-pontoon float 32, having a fiat platform 33 laid upon and suitablysecured to the cross members 26.

. The bodies 12 are preferably of mutilated semi-cylindri-Q cal solidcross section, provided fiat top surfaces 34, and arcuate side surfaces36, which merge, at theirlower ends, into V-shaped centered keels 38. Asshown in FIGURE] '4, the keels and side surfaces of the bodies 12 havingpointed ends 40, formed by the convergent curving of the 1 side surfaces36 and the keels 38, to the top surfacest34.

30 poses of illustration only, -a specific form of the invention FIGURE1 is anexploded perspective view showing a t plurality of eyes beforeapplication to a molded buoyant body; FIGURE 2 is a perspective viewshowing a part of the coverbeing spray applied to the body to form itscover and 'to-secure' the eyes thereto;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical transverse section taken on the line3-3 of FIGURE 2 FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectiontaken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of'a float involving Itwo of the pontoonsand cross members; I

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged end elevation of FIGURE 5,

showing, in phantom lines, a deck imposed thereon;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary verticallongitudinal section taken on the line7.-7 of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a view like FIGURE 7, showing alternate forms of eyes andcross members.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like and I related numeralsdesignate like and related parts throughout the several views, and firstto FIGURES 1 through7, the numerals 10 generally designate individualpontoons,

composed of molded buoyant bodies 12," covers 14, and mounting eyes 16,secured by the covers to the bodies.

The bodies are moulded to shape of buoyant plastic foam material, suchaspolystyrene having expandable I beads, and having a closed cellconstituttion, such as is commercially known as Styrafoam, orofpolyurethane rigid foam.

The covers 14 are coatings of fiber glass, impregnated I or otherwise,applied to all of the surfaces of the bodies '12, as by means of apressure spray nozzle 18, as shown in FIGURE 2, and which dries to formthe rigid stressa resistant structural components of the pontoons. The

fiber glass covers 14 are abrasion-, water-, and corrosion: proof, andare highly resistant to collision and other A beneath andbonded to thecove In FIGURE 8 is shown an alternate form of eye 16a and cross member2611. The cross member 26:; is in the form. of an I-beam 26a, ofsuitable materiaL-including lightweight metal, having a vertical web 44,a top flange 46, and a bottom flange 48, which are 'conformably enclosedby the flat tubular web composed of sidewalls 30a,

and flat tubular upper and lower pontoons and 52, re-

spectively, and a wider base flange 20a, which is 'over-' laid by andsecured to the cover surface 34 of the body 12.

be produced otherwisethan as hereinabove described, as by forming thecovers 14 with attached eyes 16, and then injecting the material of thebodies into the covers.

While there have been "shown and described preferred forms of theinvention, his to be understood that the 14 and rests upon the topPontoons in accordance'with the present invention, can,

invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change orchanges in the structure-of and in the relative arrangements ofcomponents thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of theinvention as defined by the claim appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

A pontoon comprising an elongated molded body of buoyant plastic foam, arigid fiber glass cover conformably and transverse channelmounting eyesupstanding'frorn the cover, said eyes hav'f and positioned enclosing andcovering said body,

ing base flanges bearing upon the body References Cited in the file ofthis'patent STATES PATENTS France Dec. 17,

3,090,339}? Patented: May 211, i953 The bodies 12, even g arenon-absorbent and 16 are preferably. molded'of fiber glass,'but can bemade of other suitable

